
Pets To Europe After Brexit
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A lot of us are wondering what will happen when we officially leave the European Union. The good news is that during the transition period, not a great deal will change so you can travel as normal. We have taken the below information directly from the UK Government website in regards to travelling with your pets during Brexit. Source - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pet-travel-to-europe-after-brexit
Pet travel during the transition period
You can travel with your pet to the EU under the current pet travel rules using your current UK-issued EU pet passport. If you're travelling with your pet for the first time you'll have to visit your vet to get a pet passport.Pet travel from 1 January 2021
The UK will become a third country from 1 January 2021. Third countries can apply to the European Commission to be listed. In the EU Pet Travel Scheme, there are 3 categorisations of third country:- unlisted
- Part 1 listed
- Part 2 listed
To make sure your pet is able to travel from the UK to the EU from 1 January 2021, you should contact your vet at least 4 months before travelling to get the latest advice.
If the UK becomes an unlisted country
A current EU pet passport issued in the UK will not be valid for travel to the EU.
Before your dog, cat or ferret can travel, you'll need to take the following steps:
- You must have your dog, cat or ferret microchipped and vaccinated against rabies
- Your pet must have a blood sample taken at least 30 days after its last rabies vaccination. (whether that’s a booster or initial vaccination) Your vet may recommend a booster rabies vaccination before this test.
- Your pet’s blood sample will be sent to a to an EU-approved blood testing laboratory
- Wait 3 months from the date the successful blood sample was taken before you can travel.
- The vet must give you a copy of the test results and enter the day the blood sample was taken in an animal health certificate (AHC).
Get an animal health certificate
You must also take your pet to your vet no more than 10 days before travel to get an animal health certificate (AHC). (The AHC needs to be signed by an official vet. Check with your vet that they can issue AHCs for pets.) You must take proof of:- your pet's vaccination history
- your pet's microchipping date
- a successful rabies antibody blood test result
- 10 days after the date of issue for entry into the EU
- onward travel within the EU for 4 months after the date of issue
- re-entry to the UK for 4 months after the date of issue
Travelling to Finland, Republic of Ireland or Malta
If you're travelling with your dog directly to Finland, Republic of Ireland or Malta it must have treatment against tapeworm 1 to 5 days before arriving in one of those countries (Echinococcus multilocularis). Your vet must enter full details on the AHC following treatment.
Arriving in the EU
On arrival in the EU, pet owners travelling with pets will need to enter through a designated Travellers’ point of entry (TPE). At the TPE, you may need to present proof of:- your pet's microchip
- rabies vaccination
- successful blood test results
- tapeworm treatment (if required)
- your pet's health certificate
Repeat trips to the EU
Your pet will need a new health certificate for each trip to the EU.
To get a new health certificate you must take your pet to an official vet no more than 10 days before you travel. Again, you must show proof of your pet's:
- microchipping date
- rabies vaccination history
- successful rabies antibody blood test result
- had a successful blood test
- an up-to-date subsequent rabies vaccination history
Return to the UK
There will be no change to the current health preparations for pets entering Great Britain from the EU from 1 January 2021. Your pet must have one of the following documents when returning to the UK:- an EU pet passport (issued in the EU or in the UK before 1 January 2021)
- the AHC issued in the UK used to travel to the EU (which you can use up to 4 months after it was issued)
- a UK pet health certificate (for travel into the UK only)
- other UK countries
- the Channel Islands
- the Isle of Man
- the Republic of Ireland